Refuge, Strong Tower
by Aerophin
Summary: [30kisses][Oneshot][AxC] Cagalli know that despite whatever may come, she'll be safe.


Note: Written for the LJ community 30kisses using theme #17 kHz.**  
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**Refuge, Strong Tower**

"Kira," a voice suddenly deadpanned from the walkie-talkie strapped to Kira's belt, upsetting the calm atmosphere.

Startled, he fumbled for the device as he threw an apologetic remark to Athrun, whom he was speaking to. Brushing fallen bangs out of his eyes, he hesitated, then answered, "This is Kira, over."

A hush fell over the room and glances were exchanged between the two friends. Athrun had recently returned from a conference in the PLANTs and politically, relations where not going well between those in earth and those in space. The ground they stood on was still rocky and needed much plowing and cultivation before the seeds of life and harmony could be replanted. Kira felt the interruption held no promising news.

Finally, the voice replied. "Kira. It's Cagalli." Another glance, furrowed brows, and concerned faces. "Is…is Athrun with you?"

Kira turned to coordinator alongside him. Athrun slowly nodded. "Yes."

A sigh transferred over the frequency. Kira wondered what it meant. And then, "May I speak to him? Alone?"

The ex-ZAFT pilot reached over and took a hold of the silver walkie-talkie. "Let me speak to her." Kira opened his mouth as if to speak, then thought against it. He was perturbed, seeming like there was something to be said. But he only gave Athrun an inquiring but unquestioning glance and sauntered to the door. Once there, he placed a hand on the knob and lifted his eyes to give Athrun a long, hard look. The exact time was a mystery, but when he confirmed for himself his sister's relationship with Athrun, he knew not what to think. And even now, his feelings were a mixture of trust, betrayal, confidence, misgivings.

_Blessing or curse?_ contemplated Kira as the door shut behind him.

Walkie-talkie in hand, Athrun ambled over to the window for a glimpse of summer's blooming. The gardens around Orb's parliament building were overflowing with blossoms and special plants grown only in Orb. Because of the tropical climate, Orb had a variety of flowers all year long. He spied some leis and pondered if he dared a venture outside.

He brought the walkie-talkie closer to his face and pressed the talk button. "Cagalli?" he spoke gingerly. The man waited a few moments.

"Athrun?" was the tentative reply.

"I'm here."

Another sigh. "You're back…I'm so glad." She sounded tired.

"Hmmm?" He turned from the window and faced the door.

"After you came back, I couldn't find you anywhere."

"Ah, I'm sorry," Athrun stammered a guilty reply. He left his position at the window and meandered around the room, admiring the lavish decorations for a rarely used meeting room. "I had to speak to Kira as soon as I landed. I tried the orphanage, and it was only after I spoke to Lacus that I remembered Kira was working here as head of defense now. I've been…nearly everywhere on Orb looking for your brother of late."

"Oh. Has he told you yet?"

Athrun narrowed his eyes. "Of what?"

The stillness was overbearing. Why was everyone so quiet nowadays? It hadn't been like this before he left three weeks ago. When she refused to answer back, he urgently called, "Cagalli?"

"So he hasn't told you. Haven't you noticed anything recently?" At this point, Cagalli's voice had softened to an inaudible whisper.

Now troubled, Athrun bounded for the door. "What's going on?" he cried as he flung it open to bang against the wall as he exited the room. He decided to go right, which was the direction of her office.

Cagalli was sitting on the floor of the hallway outside her office. After giving her secretary the day off, she picked up a walkie-talkie a worker had accidentally left in her office. Since the incidents, Kira and Kisaka had been to every major city in Orb, ensuring the safety of all the citizens and giving instruction to the armed forces they had charged with the populace's defenses. Left behind at the capital, the Representative had been abandoned with her feelings of isolation and imprisonment. How much could she really do for her country from behind a desk?

But Athrun had returned at long last. She couldn't contact him at first, but after a few days of trying, she knew Kira would be her best bet. So the young blond picked up the walkie-talkie and radioed her brother. And she was well rewarded.

After hearing the bang of the door, Cagalli stood up. Truly confused, she screamed into the walkie-talkie, "Athrun? Athrun, what are you doing?"

"Cagalli, stay where you are." Knowing Cagalli's knack for doing the opposite as told, he should've ordered her to find him, but he doubted reverse psychology would work on her anyway. "Information on recent events would be nice, too."

She could hear him running through the walkie-talkie, so she dashed down the long hallway. "It's nothing, Athrun, really. Just a few attacks against the other representatives and bomb threats in the parliament building."

"Nothing?" screeched Athrun in a full-fledged sprint. As he turned a corner, he craned his neck behind him to see the opposite way he had run. "How can that be nothing?"

More of that ill-fated silence. After a while, "There were no actual bombs and no one was killed during the attacks," was heard.

Athrun burst through a door to find an empty room. He hastily turned back and headed down another corridor. "And how many victims are nearly dying?" he demanded.

Angered, Cagalli laconically shrieked, "Everything's fine, Athrun! I'm fine! We're fine!" She rushed out the double doors that lead outside and, after some time, slowed down to catch her breath. She lowered the walkie-talkie and stood motionless.

Here, outside, it was different from the atmosphere Cagalli has experienced the last few days. There was no rush of people, no anxious shouting, or the pressure of being on time for a meeting. The sweet aroma of the flowers drifted through the confusion and turmoil of Cagalli's soul and compelled her to rest, even for a moment. This, she decided, was what she needed most.

An interlude of silence immersed. Neither spoke a word, and Cagalli was content. Athrun, on the other hand, doubled the efforts of his search.

"How come I never heard of any of this in the PLANTs?" Broken from her reverie, it took Cagalli a while before she could comprehend what Athrun had said.

"Well, Orb doesn't exactly present their internal conflicts to the world."

Athrun too had slowed down, but only after searching most of the West Wing. The guilt of crashing a few meetings and appointments had no hold on him when Cagalli's wellbeing was at stake; or rather, had been at stake. He now stood in the waiting room of Cagalli's office. No secretary and, of course, no Cagalli. "And Kira told me none of this." The bitterness was apparent.

Cagalli turned her face to the setting sun. "I'm sure he would've told you sooner or later." She strolled over to a pond near the back of the garden. The water lilies had come into flower and gently she fingered one.

Sighing, Athrun left the room. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. "I've spent days with him. How could he not tell me?"

"Maybe he didn't want you to worry as you're wont to do." He detected a hint of amusement, but shrugged it off.

Attracted to another window, he arose and placed his hands on the pane of shatter-proof glass. _Trapped within a fortress and still not safe,_ Athrun mused. He raised the walkie-talkie and said, "How are you, then?" as he began to walk.

"I'm fine, in truth. You know I wouldn't lie to you." Cagalli plopped herself down onto the ground and began to pluck at the grass.

"Right. I narrowly escaped a bullet one time because I trusted you."

"Well, that was before we knew each other!" she countered, irritated.

"Don't retaliate! You broke your word and you know it. Ah, I feel so sorry for Kisaka and all those years he had to deal with you." As he passed the numerous windows, he noticed the garden he had seen earlier. Curious, Athrun decided to check it out.

"Hey!" Cagalli stood up in annoyance as she roared more words into the walkie-talkie. "Kisaka and I have a great relationship! He's been my guardian for years and trusts me completely!"

Sobered, Athrun calmly spoke, "Well, regardless of what happened, you're fine now and I'm thankful." He came across a set of double doors that had been promiscuously thrown open. Athrun made an effort to spot whoever had committed the action, yet could not find anyone. He took a step outside and stopped to admire the beauty of nature.

Cagalli suddenly turned her head. Did she hear someone come near? "Yes, I suppose so. And I know whatever is to come, I'll be able to make it through unscathed."

_Is someone else here?_ Athrun thought when he heard a noise. "Really, now? Why this suddenly assurance?"

_There!_ she thought as a person moved away from the doors. With grace learned from forced childhood etiquette lessons, Cagalli picked her way as she prepared to intercept the intruder. He was gazing at a flower bed with his back facing her. Cagalli coughed, and when the man's emerald eyes found hers as he turned round, she pressed the talk button on her walkie-talkie and said, "Because you're here now."

Before Cagalli had finished uttering the words, Athrun had bounded into a sprint and tackled her to the ground. As he lay upon her, he gawked at her sudden loveliness. "And I'll always be here," he said and kissed her before a retort escaped her lips.

**o.o.o.o.o**

**AN: **No comments on how Athrun and Cagalli used walkie-talkies and no one else heard them. It's fanfiction; let it go. Also, no comments on how I'm always making Athrun run about looking for Cagalli. He likes to run. And I like to make him suffer.

Oh, and the talk button; it's that one button you push when you want to talk (insert "duh" here). I'm not sure if there's an actual name for it, so "talk button" will have to suffice.


End file.
